ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Melkite Catholic Church 200 E. North Ave. Northlake, IL 60164

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1 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST Melkite Catholic Church 200 E. North Ave. Northlake, IL SUNDAY La Divina Misa en Español 9:00 AM DIVINE LITURGY AT 11:00 AM Rev. Fr. Ezzat Bathouche Rectory: (708) Cell: (708) St. John the Baptist, Hall Phone: (708) ProtoDn. Antoine Shehata: (847) Deacon Fadi Rafidi: (708) Para La Comunidad Hispana por favor llama al Fr. Ezzat Bathouche (708) correo electronico: St. John s Office Information Office Phone: (708) Office Hours: Thursdays & Fridays 09:00 AM to 01:00 PM All other times, please call the Rectory and then the cellular phone. Please do not call later than 8:00 PM, unless it is an emergency. Confession: Available before or after any service, or by appointment. Baptism: Please contact the pastor in advance to arrange for the required instructions. Marriage: A notice of at least 6 months should be given to the pastor, before the proposed wedding date to arrange for the required interview and instructions. Communion of the sick: Sick parishioners may receive the Holy Communion at home. Please advise the pastor whenever this sacrament is needed. Anointing the sick: Please contact the pastor at any time for this mystery.. نشيد القيامة )اللحن االول( إن الحجر ختمه اليهود وجسدك الطاهر حرسه الجنود. لكنك قمت في اليوم الثالث أيها الخلص واهبا للعالم الحياة. لذلك قوات السماوات هتفت اليك يا م عطي الحياة: المجد لقيامتك أيها المسيح. المجد لملك ك. المجد لتدبيرك يا محب البشر وحدك. Troparion to the patron of the Church النشيد لشفيع الكنيسة Kontakion O never failing Protectress of Christians and their ever present intercessor before the Creator, despise not the petitions of us sinners, but in your goodness extend your help to us who call upon you with confidence. Hasten, O Mother of God, to intercede for us, for you have always protected those who honor you. نشيد الختام يا نصيرة المسيحيين التي ال ت خزى ووسيطت هم الدائمة لدى الخالق ال تعرضي عن أصوات الخطأة الطالبين اليك. بل بما انك صالحة بادري الى معونتنا نحن الصارخين اليك بايمان: هلمي الى الشفاعة وأسرعي الى االبتهال يا والدة االله المحامية دائما عن مكرميك. EPISTLE: SECOND CORINTHIANS 9:6-12 PROKIMENON May Your kindness, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in You. Stichon: Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. Sunday, October 8 th, 2017 االحد 8 تشرين األول rd Sunday after the Holy Cross The widow s son Theme of the Year Keep Alert, Stand Firm In Your Faith, Be Courageous, Be Strong Let All You Do Be Done In Love (1 Corinthians 16:13) Hymns Troparion of the resurrection (1 st tone) While the stone was sealed by the Jews and soldiers were watching your sacred body, You rose, O Savior, on the third day, giving life to the world. Wherefore, O Giver of life, the powers of heaven cried out: Glory to your resurrection, O Christ. Glory to your kingdom, glory to your Plan of redemption, O You who alone are the Lover of mankind. READING from the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians BRETHREN, he who sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Let everyone give as much as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or out of compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (Prv.22: 8) And God is able to make all grace abound in you, so that always having ample means, you may abound in every good work, as it is written, He has scattered abroad and has given to the poor: His righteousness remains forever. (Ps. 111: 9) Now, He who provides the sower with seed will both give you bread to eat and multiply your seed, and will increase the growth of the fruits of your justification that being enriched in all things, you may contribute with simplicity of purpose, and thus through us evoke thanksgiving to God. ALLELUIA (Tone 1) Ps.17: 48, 50 O God, You granted me retribution and made peoples subject to me and saved me from my raging enemies. Stichon: Therefore, I will proclaim You, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing praise to Your name.

2 االحد الثامن عشر بعد العنصرة مقدمة الرسالة ل تكن يارب رحمت ك علينا بحسب ات كال نا عليك ابتهجوا أ يها الصد يقون بالرب بالمستقيمين يليق التسبيح الرسالة 2( كورنثس )11-6 :9 يا إ خوة من يزرع بتقتير يحصد أيضا بتقتير ومن يزرع بالبركات فبالبركات أ يضا يحصد. فليعط كل احد كما نوى في قلبه ال عن ابتئاس أ و اضطرار فإ ن هللا ي ح ب الم عطي الم تهل ل. وهللا قادر ان ي فيض عليكم كل نعمة حتى اذا كانت لكم ك ل كفاية كل حين في كل شيء. ت فيضون في كل عمل صالح كما ك ت ب: إ نه بد د وأ عطى المساكين فبر ه يدوم إ لى االبد. والذي يرزق الزارع زرعا وخبزا للقوت يرزق كم زرع كم وي كث ر ه وي زيد غ الل ب ر كم فتستغنون في كل شيء ألجل كل سخاء خالص ي نشء شكرا هلل بواسطت نا. هللويا هللا هو الم نتقم لي وم خض ع الشعوب تحتي الم عظ م خالص المل ك والصانع رحمة الى مسيح ه GOSPEL: LUKE 7:11-16 * (3 rd Sunday After the Holy Cross) AT that time, it came to pass that Jesus went to a town called Naim; and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. And as he drew near the gate of the town, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large gathering from the town was with her. And the Lord, seeing her, had compassion on her, and said to her, Do not weep. And he went up and touched the stretcher; and the bearers stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to thee, arise. And he who was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. But fear seized upon all, and they began to glorify God, saying, A great prophet has risen among us. and God has visited his people. االحد الثالث بعد الصليب لوقا :7 في ذلك الزمان كان يسوع منطلقا الى مدينة أسم ها نائين. وكان ي سير م ع ه جمهور من تالميذه وجمع كثير. فلما ق ر ب من باب المدينة اذا ميت محمول وهو ابن وحيد أل م ه. وكانت هذ ه أ رمل ة. وكان مع ها جمع غفير من المدينة. فلم ا رآها الر ب تحن ن عليها وقال لها ال ت بكي ودنا ول مس الن عش فوق ف الحام لون. فقال: أ يها الشاب لك أ قول ق م. فاست وى ال ميت وبدأ يتكل م. فسل م ه الى أ م ه. فاست ولى على الجميع خوف. فجع لوا ي مج دون هللا قائلين: لقد قام فينا نبي عظيم وافتق د هللا ش عب ه. Giving back to the Giver FROM TIME TO TIME, Christians in a number of communities, including the ancient historic Churches, are encouraged to tithe to their congregation. Tithing the giving of 10% of one s income is mandatory in some groups. Mormons, for example are required to tithe and only tithe-paying members are allowed to enter Mormon temples and to receive its ordinances (sacraments). Many Pentecostal groups teach that, if you are not tithing, you are robbing God. Tithing in the Old Testament The practice of tithing arose at the start of the Israelite nation. When the Israelites occupied the Promised Land, eleven of their twelve tribes were given a portion of the conquered territory. The twelfth tribe, Levi, which was set apart as the nation s priests, received no land. The eleven landed tribes were to give their tithes to the Levites (temple assistants, comparable to our deacons). These mandatory tithes were used to support the priests, manage the temple, and provide relief for foreigners, orphans and widows (see Num 18). The tithe was seen in the Torah as a recognition that all of creation was God s: And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD s. It is holy to the LORD. If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add onefifth to it. And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD (Lev 27: 30-32). If a person failed to pay the tithe or held back some of it he was considered to have robbed God. As the nation became more established and prosperous, the temptation to avoid paying the full tithe was not uncommon. The prophet Malachi thundered against this practice, but also promised that those who paid the tithe would be blessed: Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the LORD of hosts. If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it (Mal 3: 8-10). Malachi distinguishes between tithes and offerings. The tithe was the required tenth of one s income which was God s by right. An offering was whatever was freely given over and above the tithe. Sometimes such gifts are called love offerings, made from personal devotion rather than by law. Tithing in the New Testament Tithing was practiced regularly by Jews into New Testament times. In the Gospels, we see that the Lord Jesus criticized the Pharisees for being strict about determining tithes of everything they have received while ignoring more important matters: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! (Mt 23:23, 24). He did not condemn tithing, only the mechanical performance of it while ignoring the spirit behind it. Similarly, in His parable of the Publican and the Pharisee (Lk 18:9-14), the Lord Jesus shows the Pharisee taking pride in his fasting and tithing. The Lord does not reproach the Pharisee for doing these things, but for taking pride in them.

3 That even the poor sometimes gave more than was required was noted and praised by Jesus when He visited the temple: Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood (Mk 12:41-44). Nowhere in the New Testament is tithing mandated. Generosity and openness in giving are recognized and praised while mean-spiritedness is condemned. In the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), two believers are reproached for pretending to give to the Church whatever they received for selling a piece of land. St Peter discerned the lie and said to Ananias, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God (vv. 3, 4). Giving in the Writings of St Paul St Paul teaches several principles for giving in 2 Cor 9. First, in v.5 he notes that all giving should be a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. He then adds: But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So, let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver (vv. 6, 7). In v.7 St Paul sees the individual believer as responsible for determining the amount he can give as he purposes in his heart. Instead of giving a set amount (the tithe), the believer is expected to give as his heart dictates, out of his faith that he is in Christ. Some, like popular Orthodox author Frederica Mathewes- Green, believe that a commitment to tithing, like fasting, can foster spiritual growth. She recommends, Aim to give a percentage of your income. Start with whatever percentage you give now, and raise it a little each year. In time, you will reach the tithe. Then you will be giving as generously as the people of the Bible, who lived in conditions we would see as abject poverty. there is no better indication of your priorities (Christianity Today 59.5). Many churches have annual pledge drives asking members to make a specific commitment of what they purpose to give in the year ahead. The introduction of set amounts for giving as dues, pew rents, or fees in some churches suggests that many Christians believe in paying only for services rendered. The Ministry of Giving St Paul indicates another principle for giving in Rom 12:4-8: For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Some Christians have been gifted to teach or lead the Church; others have been gifted to support the Church in a significant way. As good singers should use their voices to build up the Church, those with material abundance should use their wealth as a gift given them to support the Church over and above the average donor. The many believers who have built churches, shrines, schools or hospitals with their own resources have ministered in this way by using the gift they have received Good morning, A Letter From God As you got up I watched and hoped you would talk to me. Just a few words, such as thanking me for something good in your life yesterday or last week would do. But I noticed you were busy selecting the right clothes for work. I waited again to hear from you. When you ran around the house collecting papers, I knew there would be a few minutes to stop and say hello, but you never slowed down. I wanted to tell you that I could help you accomplish more than you ever dreamed possible if you would just spend some of each day with me. At one point, you waited fifteen minutes in a chair with nothing to do. I waited to hear from you. Then I saw you spring to your feet; I thought you wanted to talk to me, but you ran to the phone and called a friend. I watched as off to work you went and waited patiently all day long to hear from you. With all your activities you were too busy to talk with me.

4 I noticed at lunch you looked around; maybe you just felt embarrassed to talk to me. You glanced three tables over and noticed some of your friends talking to me before they ate, but you wouldn't. There was still more time left, and I hoped that we would talk. You went home and had many things to do. After they were done, you turned on the TV; just about anything goes there and you spend many hours watching. I waited as you continued watching TV and ate your meal but again you wouldn't talk to me. At bedtime you were totally tired. After you said good night to your family you plopped into bed and fell asleep. I had so much wanted to be part of your day. We could have had so much fun and accomplished so much together. I love you so much that I wait every day for a thought, prayer or thanks. Well, maybe tomorrow! I'll be waiting. Your Friend, God Halloween Party When: Friday October 27 th, 2017 Where: St. John the Baptist hall Cost: $10 for adults and kids 4-year-old and up Join us for a spooky evening filled with trick or treating, arts and crafts, adult costume contests, kids costume parade, pizza, snack, great prizes and so much more! For tickets please contact: Safaa Azar: (224) Ghusson Najjar: (224) Guests are invited to participate in a desert Pot-Luck 10/15: Basel Bader 10/22: Sarie Haddad Epistle Reading Parish Advisory Council (PAC) Meetings will be held on the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm see Adel Bisharat if interested in attending. Honoring your loved ones: Please consider signing up for one or more Sundays to provide Holy Bread and Coffee hour. It s this gift of Holy Bread that we use to prepare communion and to share with our parishioners at the end of the service. What better way to honor your loved ones on their birthday, anniversary, graduation or memorial. It takes minimal effort, and it encourages fellowship among our community. Text Messaging System: Sign Up today - 1. Create a new text message; 2. Type in as the recipient; 3. In the message section, 4. Hit send; 5. You should receive a message asking for your full name; 6. Please type your full name and press send; 7. You should receive another message saying "Thanks Mr(s).. As a member you will receive all St John Baptist's Remind notifications. Reply HELP for commands. Are you receiving our s? We need your help to ensure that we have everyone s . All you need to do is to send us a blank and we will make sure that your address in in our system. Please take a few minutes this week and us at: COFFEE HOUR: To sponsor the Coffee Hour call Randa Tourjman at (773) Please remember, there is also a donation of $20 for the coffee in addition to the snacks. Coffee Hour Schedule: Samer & Mayson Jriesat Magdi & Violette Daoud Issam & Rasha Nijmeh Falafel Dr. Hassan & Sima Azar Adel & Alice Mady

5 Liturgy Intentions To add or remove Names from the list please call ( ) Total Collection: : (Regular $ + Electronic $518) To add or remove Names from the list please call (708/ ) Happiness and Prosperity: Samer & Mayson Jriesat & family Health & Speedy Recovery: for all our brothers and sisters who need spiritual & corporal recovery: Antoinette Mansour, Lidia Makdah, Peter Nafaa, and Marcelle Maloyan Repose in the Heavenly Kingdom All our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the Lord Jeries Suleiman Jreisat Philip Azar Issa Jamil Shihadeh By Jreisat family By Theresa Jabaley By Shihadeh family